My name is Daniel Mark Tony. I live in Salt Lake City. I am in 10th-grade class and doing math. I’m sixteen years old. I wear blue jeans, a blue, long sleeve shirt with a V shape collar, brown shoes, and a brown robe. There is nothing but silence as I dream of the blackness of my eyelids. Then someone with a very serious tone breaks the silence.

“Daniel!” a voice shouts my name.

It sounds like a woman trying to get my attention, and she seems very impatient.

“Daniel!” the female voice shouts again and this time she sounds even more serious than her last tone.

I can hear the serious woman walking very close to me as I continue to see nothing but the blackness of my eyelids. She taps on my desk to get my attention. I wake up with a loud gasp. I was dreaming about strange things. Some things I can’t even explain. I can’t even remember what I was dreaming about.

I wasn’t paying attention in class in the last few minutes. I was sleeping. The woman that was shouting my name is my teacher, Mrs. Thatcher.

She wears a dark purple vest, with a pink button-up shirt, and a pink skirt around her legs, her hair is brown and shaped like a beehive. At least that’s what other kids say about her hair. She also wears black high heels. She does not look very happy after she saw me asleep in class.

She walks towards me with her lips angrily sticking out. She looks very impatient and a bit tense. She sighs and shakes her head at me. Then she looks at me, eye to eye. I feel kind of scared, or nervous. Don’t know which one. A bit of both I guess. 

Thatcher grabs my math paper that is on my desk. I feel even more nervous. She looks at the back of my paper and her eyes widen as if she seems rather amazed, but not in shock.

“What is this?” she asks me.

She turns the paper around to show the picture on the back. I look at the picture and I feel amazed as well as Mrs. Thatcher. I clear my throat and sigh.

“It looks like an Anthro tiger man and he looks very muscular,” I answer.

Thatcher looks at the picture and nods her head.

 “Yes. But it is very good….” She pauses for a moment “No, this looks very clever. It looks so real,” says Mrs. Thatcher.

“When did you draw it?” she asks me as she folds her arms.

I wanted to answer her question, but she wouldn’t believe me. I take a deep breath and have the guts to answer her.

“I have no idea how that picture got on that math paper,” I answer with a very nervous voice.

“You had the math paper, so you must have drawn it,” says Mrs. Thatcher.

She drops her arms. “Did you or did you not draw this?” she asks.

I still cannot remember to answer her. I mean it was like a dream or something.

“Can you please answer me?” Mrs. Thatcher asks.

I still don’t feel like answering. Then the sound of the school bell breaks the awkward silence.

“Thank you,” I whisper to myself as I rub the back of my head.

Thatcher still has my drawing on my math paper.

“You can all go. And don’t forget about tomorrow's quiz and no complaints please.” She looks around the classroom full of children that are leaving it.

All of the teenagers get up from their desks. I stand up and grab blue my backpack. 

Thatcher raises her right trigger finger in front of me.

“Except you, Daniel, I would like to talk to you,” says Mrs. Thatcher.

 I sit down with a sigh. I feel very upset. A girl is still sitting down right behind my desk. Her name is Megan Dee Dale. She has blond hair and a pink sweater. She also wears a robe like I do, except her robe is white. She raises her hand.

“Mrs. Thatcher. I haven’t been paying attention either. Can I stay too?” she asks.

Thatcher seems very confused. Megan was paying attention the entire time. She always stands around to help other kids with their math problems, especially mine. She loves math and anything that has to do with learning things. She loves school more than anyone else in the school. Mrs. Thatcher places her hands on her right hip. 

“You’re not doing this because of Daniel?” she asks.

Megan shakes her head and chuckles a little. “Mrs. Thatcher that is so ridiculous and very cheesy. Do you think that I want to stay here for Daniel?” Megan asks Mrs. Thatcher.

I feel that Mrs. Thatcher will not say yes to Megan’s ridiculous question. She’s just a girl that lives in my neighborhood. Mrs. Thatcher stares at Megan as if she wants Megan to answer herself.  

“Umm.” Megan rubs her left shoulder. “I think I’ll just wait out in the hallway,” says Megan.

Thatcher nods her head.

Megan gets up and walks to the exit of the classroom. Her eyes are just staring at me. I look away from her. Megan walks out of the classroom. Mrs. Thatcher walks up to the exit door and closes it. She heads back to me and sits down with a normal expression on her face.

“Now Daniel I would like to talk to you about the picture that you just drew,” she says.

“I have no idea. I just fell asleep in class. How could I draw that picture? I don’t even know how to draw. Especially that human-like Tiger that is on the back of my math paper,” I say.

Thatcher takes her glasses off and puts them on my desk.

“You know sometimes I wonder what you are thinking when you are not paying attention,” she says.

I turn away from her. “What do you mean? I’m normal like everybody else,” I say.

“I know. I know.” Mrs. Thatcher nods. “But you have a great talent and you don’t even know it. I just got a feeling that you think about your imagination sometimes,” says Mrs. Thatcher.

Thatcher sighs and rests her head on the bottom of her hands.

“She is lucky to have a guy like you because you have a great imagination,” she says.

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“Who?” I ask.

“Megan of course,” Mrs. Thatcher answers.

“Why?” I ask.

“Well for one thing, in the last two weeks you have been falling asleep in all the classes. And yet you had been drawing behind your school papers. Maybe you have been thinking too much about your imagination. Way too much” answers Mrs. Thatcher.

She’s having a conversation with me and I still don’t understand what she is talking about.

“Mrs. Thatcher?” I ask. 

“Yes?” Mrs. Thatcher responds.

I stand up by my desk.

“I don’t think about my imagination…I don’t even know what it is.” I take the math paper that has the human-tiger picture.

“Maybe someone else drew that picture. Like…” I try to think of someone I can blame.

Then it comes to me, but I know that I will regret it later, or tomorrow.

“Billy,” I say.

I’m thinking of Billy the bully in eleventh grade. I don’t even mind that he takes my money. I just want him to go away.

Thatcher seems like she does not know who I am talking about.

“Who’s Billy?” Mrs. Thatcher asks me.

“You know the kid with the black hair, wears a black turtle neck shirt, and knows a few fighting styles,” I answer.

Thatcher thinks for a moment.

“You don’t need to say everything about your fear,” she says.

“What do you mean my fear?” I ask her.

“You are afraid of the bully. Aren’t you?” Mrs. Thatcher asks me.

I do not answer Mrs. Thatcher. I just stand by my chair in silence. Mrs. Thatcher stands next to me.

“That’s another thing. You are afraid of bullies. You need to face you’re…” Mrs. Thatcher was going to finish, but I finish the sentence for her.

“Fears!” I calm my tone. “I know. I need to face my fears, another cheesy line,” I interrupt.

Thatcher feels offended after I interrupted her and I feel kind of sorry for doing that.

“I’m sorry for interrupting you Mrs. Thatcher,” I say.

“You don’t need to worry.” Mrs. Thatcher shakes her head. “I will talk to Principal Parker about the Billy situation,” Mrs. Thatcher says to me.

“Ok. Thanks for that,” I respond.

Thatcher smiles and pats my back.

“Now why don’t you go off and try to enjoy the day?” she asks me.

I walk to the front door and look back at Mrs. Thatcher. She is walking to her desk.

“You won’t tell my parents about that tiger picture…right?” I ask.

Thatcher puts her glasses back on her face.

“You know that it’s my job to call parents for odd behavior in school. But try not to worry and just tell them the truth.” Mrs. Thatcher places her hands on her desk.

I walk out of the classroom. The school hallway is so crowded with so many teenagers. Some teenagers are flirting with the jocks. The cheerleaders are practicing their cheering. And some students are texting on their cell phones. I walk to my locker and try to open it, but I forgot the combination…again. I sigh and begin to turn to the combination on my locker. It clicks but does not open.

“Come on.” I bang the locker as it still won’t open.

I feel stressed and want to just hit my locker. 

“Piece of garbage!” I shout.

Everybody hears me shouting and they stop chatting and look at me.

I look at everybody, and then I sigh as I continue to try to open my locker. It still won’t open. A hand hit’s my locker and it opens. It is Megan, the girl that wanted to stay in class with me. The voices of teenagers echo through the hallway.

“Thanks, Meg,” I say.

Megan shakes her head. “It’s Megan. But you can call me Meg for short,” she says.

“Really?” I ask.

“Yes,” Megan answers.

“Well not in front of everybody,” I say.

“I don’t mind,” says Megan.

“Why don’t you mind me calling you Meg?” I ask.

Megan lifts her shoulders and mumbles I don’t know.

Then something catches my eye. Someone is coming down the hall and it is not the principal. I do not panic or feel like running away, I put my hand in my left pocket. The same boy that was walking toward me leaned his chubby body near my locker. He does not look very happy. I try to greet him with a polite word.

“Hello, Billy. How are you?” I ask.

Billy does not seem to like my greeting. “Where are my 30 dollars?” Billy asks.

Megan rolls her eyes and groans a little bit as if she seems very annoyed in Billy’s presence. I gasp a little and try to act dumb.

“Oh, that! It’s in my left pocket,” I answer Billy.

I remove my left hand that was in my pocket pants to reveal my money. Billy takes the money.

“How do I know that this is real money?” Billy asks.

“You would have already beaten me up if it wasn’t,” I say.

Billy looks at me and puts his right fist in front of my face. I close my eyes very tight and wait for the punch.

“Stop!”  Megan shouts as she cuts in front of Billy.

“Why do you beat up Daniel?  He has done nothing to you!” Megan shouts.

She looks very tense, like a tiger waiting to jump at her prey. Billy seems a bit ticked and nervous as he looks at Megan. 

“Give me one good reason why I should not beat up this freak?” Billy asks.

“Well for one thing he is new here and he is…” Megan turns to me and stares at me for a moment.

Then she turns back to Billy. “He’s…he’s wearing an expensive robe. And if you damage it or rip it that will go to your payment bill and I’ll see to it that I will sue you,” says Megan.

I tap onto Megan’s right shoulder

“Megan I got this robe in my dress-up box. It’s been in there for three years. It was not expensive. And besides, you don’t even know how to sue anyone,” I whisper.

Megan turns back to me. “I am trying to distract him while you run away and get the principal,” Megan whispers back to me.

Billy shoves in between us.

“You know I can hear you.” Billy looks at me then at Megan.

“Both of you. By the way nice closet hood Danny,” says Billy as he mocks my robe.

“It is called a robe and it’s Daniel,” I mumble.

“Gee I’m sorry…” Billy gently pushes me.

 “Freak!” Billy shouts at me.

I lower my head and feel like my stomach just got punched. When he said the word freak it hurts my feelings. Megan shoves Billy away from me.

“What are you doing?” I whisper to her.

Megan does not answer me as she is still threatening Billy.

“You think just because you can beat him up makes you better than him? It does not! It just makes you a low-life jerk with no friends! No wonder you don’t have any friends.  As soon as you meet someone you beat them up and take their money!” Megan shouts.

Megan shoves Billy back to the wall. Everybody turns and looks at Megan while she is shouting at Billy. Everyone seems a bit cautious and very nervous around Megan. I try to calm her but it is no use.

“Megan it is ok,” I say.

Megan still won’t respond to me.

“It’s not cool to take what doesn’t belong to you!” Megan shouts.

I tug on Megan’s white robe. “Megan you’re making a scene!” I whisper.

Billy seems scared as she corners him to the wall. Like a scared bear cub with a mean tiger cornering him.

“I am not going to beat him up,” says Billy to Megan.

Megan calms her tone. “Good. Why?” Megan asks.

Billy flaps the money in his right hand.

“Because this money is real. Thank you for your patience.” Billy walks by Megan with a very serious face.

Thatcher grabs Billy’s right ear.

“Ow! What did I do?” Billy asks.

“We will talk to the Principal about it. He’s had enough of your bullying Billy Thorton.” Mrs. Thatcher pulls Billy down the hall.

All of the other teenagers continue to do what they were doing. Megan looks away from the hallway and back to me. She shakes her head with a look that seems very disappointed.

“Thirty dollars?” Megan asks.

“What’s the big deal?” I ask.

“You gave him thirty dollars?” Megan asks.

“It was thirty-one dollars and ninety-nine cents,” I correct her.

“Ninety-nine cents!” Megan scoffs. “That makes it thirty-two dollars. Why did you do that?” Megan asks.

I roll my eyes. “Megan there was a fist in front of my face,” I say.

I close my locker and walk away to the exit doors.

“What else could I do?” I ask.

Megan walks by me. 

“I want you to face your fears. Daniel, there is a world out there and maybe more. You need to face it. Who knows what you will find? You need to stop being so scared and face up to Billy. Otherwise, he will walk all over you for the rest of your life,” says Megan.

I sigh very roughly and try not to look at Megan.

“Ok, you’re not my mother. So stop worrying about me,” I say.

Megan walks away from me. I walk towards her, but she just keeps on walking away. I walk out the front door of the school and stop following Megan. I look up at the school banner. The school banner is a white flag, with a blue dragon that has a D sign on its yellow chest, and black spikes on its head. The Dragon on the banner smiles as he proudly sticks out his chest. The Dragon banner looks very familiar. It reminds me of another dream. I look around to find Megan. She is nowhere in sight. The other teenagers run out of the school and cheer. Some cheerleaders are cheering for the jocks. They cheer for our school.

“Go Wyvern Dragons! Go Wyvern Dragons!” they shout at least four times.

The Dragon mascot starts to dance with the cheerleaders. The jocks do not make fun of the mascot. They think the Dragon mascot is cool. The mascot looks like the same Dragon on the school banner. It is blue and yellow. He has the D mark on his chest and spikes on his back. The mascot looks like a guy in a blue Dragon costume. The Dragon mascot shows off his Dragon muscles and sticks out his chest. The Dragon mascot points at his chest with the D sign on it.

I nod my head and laugh a little bit. Billy walks to me and wraps his right arm around my left shoulder.

“I’m not here to beat you up. But thanks for having my back,” says Billy.

“I just didn’t want two people to get beat up. Besides, I’ve got nothing else to buy with the money that I get from doing chores,” I say.

“You are probably the most honest freak I’ve ever met, but a good one. Anyway thanks for the money,” says Billy.

“See ya,” I say to Billy.

Billy does not respond as he just walks away from me.